This week, I greatly enjoyed my stay in a studio apartment in Broad Ripple that was converted from a former detached garage. It was a very creative use of a relatively small space, a small living area with a couch and TV, a small table for two, and a kitchenette, and a separate bedroom and bathroom (with an admittedly tight space for a shower). It was completely self-sufficient, and cozy. I have long followed the “tiny house” movement, and once stayed in tiny house Airbnb in Santa Barbara that was off the grid, with solar panels for electricity and a composting toilet. It was a really cool place, and so sustainable! My wife and I have three children, but with one in college and another about to leave the house in less than two years, we are discussing how much house we really need. We are definitely going to downsize when we move permanently to Indy… though not all the way down to a tiny home. What do you think about the move toward smaller homes?

I also learned a slight nuance in pronunciation of the neighborhood. I was informed that the emphasis should be placed on the word “Broad” rather than on the word “Ripple.” In Connecticut, those living in the town where Yale University is located also prefer to say NEW Haven, as opposed to New HAVEN, so I understood the importance of getting it right. If I’m going to be a local, I should know how to pronounce each neighborhood the right way!